Hirofumi Arai

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hirofumi Arai

Role / Field:

Zainichi South Korean former actor, professionally known as Hirofumi Arai.

Born:

1979-01-18

Century / Era:

1979s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Park Kyung-bae (born January 18, 1979), professionally known by his Japanese alias Hirofumi Arai (新井 浩文, Arai Hirofumi) is a Zainichi South Korean former actor. Arai made his screen debut in Isao Yukisada's Go in 2001 when he was 22 years old. His next film role was the emotionally disturbed senior high school student Aoki in Toshiaki Toyoda's Blue Spring, which won him the Best New Actor award at the 17th Takasaki Film Festival. In 2011, Arai co-starred as Detective Kazuhiko Soga in a one-off TV crime thriller Douki with co-stars Ryuhei Matsuda as Detective Ryota Udagawa and Chiaki Kuriyama as Michiru Soga. The June 2012 issue of Switch, a Japanese arts and media magazine, features a special segment on top ten manga that teaches love and passion, chosen by Japanese actors, artists and musicians including Arai, who chose Bakuman while explaining: "You should up your girl power by learning how to behave like a heroine." Arai was represented by Anore Inc., a talent agency founded in 1996 by actor Tadanobu Asano, Asano's father Yukihisa Sato and Asano's musician brother Kujun Sato.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The talent agency terminated his contract shortly after Arai's arrest on February 1, 2019. Arai had stated in a number of Japanese interviews that he has a continual interest in being involved with films that explore Korean-Japanese issues. Tokyograph announced in 2007 that Arai entered a "serious relationship" with singer Miu Sakamoto, the eldest daughter of noted musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and singer-songwriter Akiko Yano, after meeting during a television talk show in 2006. On February 1, 2019, Arai was arrested for sexual assault involving rape of an outcall masseuse on July 1, 2018 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. On February 21, 2019, he was indicted by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On December 2, 2019, Arai was sentenced to five years in prison. On December 25, 2019, Arai's lawyer requested bail from the Tokyo District Court. On December 27, the Tokyo District Court decided to grant bail, and Arai paid a bail deposit of 5 million yen. On November 17, 2020, the sentence was reduced to four years in prison due to the actor paying a settlement of 3 million yen (about US$29,000) to the victim.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1979 (1979-01-18): Birth of Hirofumi Arai — Zainichi South Korean former actor, professionally known as Hirofumi Arai.
2. 1996: 1996 Milestone — , a talent agency founded in 1996 by actor Tadanobu Asano, Asano's father Yukihisa Sato and Asano's musician brother Kujun Sato.
3. 2001: 2001 Milestone — Arai made his screen debut in Isao Yukisada's Go in 2001 when he was 22 years old.
4. 2007: 2007 Milestone — Tokyograph announced in 2007 that Arai entered a "serious relationship" with singer Miu Sakamoto, the eldest daughter of noted musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and singer-songwriter Akiko Yano, after meeting during a television talk show in 2006.
5. 2011: 2011 Milestone — In 2011, Arai co-starred as Detective Kazuhiko Soga in a one-off TV crime thriller Douki with co-stars Ryuhei Matsuda as Detective Ryota Udagawa and Chiaki Kuriyama as Michiru Soga.
6. 2012: 2012 Milestone — The June 2012 issue of Switch, a Japanese arts and media magazine, features a special segment on top ten manga that teaches love and passion, chosen by Japanese actors, artists and musicians including Arai, who chose Bakuman while explaining: "You should up your girl power by learning how to behave like a heroine.
7. 2019: 2019 Milestone — The talent agency terminated his contract shortly after Arai's arrest on February 1, 2019.
8. 2020: 2020 Milestone — On November 17, 2020, the sentence was reduced to four years in prison due to the actor paying a settlement of 3 million yen (about US$29,000) to the victim.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hirofumi Arai

True or False: “Hirofumi Arai's career breakthrough role was in the film Blue Spring, which won him Best New Actor at the Takasaki Film Festival.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While he starred in Blue Spring and won an award, his screen debut occurred earlier in the film Go.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. Elkin — Contemporary (Died in 1979) (1979): Influential Australian anthropologist and Anglican clergyman (1891–1979)
• A. Philip Randolph — Contemporary (Died in 1979) (1979): Pioneer labor unionist and civil rights activist who fought for racial equality.
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• A. A. Milne — Shared historical date (01-18 · Born) (1882): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Adolf Butenandt — Shared historical date (01-18 · Died) (1995): Pioneering German biochemist known for sex hormones and pheromone discovery.
• Aaron Paul — Historical peer (Born in 1979) (1979): American actor, renowned for portraying Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad.
• Abdul-Malik al-Houthi — Historical peer (Born in 1979) (1979): Yemeni religious leader and second principal figure of the Houthi movement (Ansar Allah).
• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Anne Morrow Lindbergh — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): American aviator and author, known for pioneering flights and profound writings.
• Al Davis — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
• 1979 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1979
• January 18 (01-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 18

Frequently Asked Questions about Hirofumi Arai